Numerical Analysis of Gas Flow Distribution Characteristics in a 5 kW Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell Stack

Arkadiusz Szczęśniak, Aliaksandr Martsinchyk, Jarosław Milewski (), Pavel Shuhayeu, Olaf Dybinski, Arkadiusz Sieńko and Wen Xing
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Arkadiusz Szczęśniak: Institute of Heat Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-660 Warsaw, Poland
Aliaksandr Martsinchyk: Institute of Heat Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-660 Warsaw, Poland
Jarosław Milewski: Institute of Heat Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-660 Warsaw, Poland
Pavel Shuhayeu: Institute of Heat Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-660 Warsaw, Poland
Olaf Dybinski: Institute of Heat Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-660 Warsaw, Poland
Arkadiusz Sieńko: Fuel Cell Poland sp. z o.o., 1 Moscickiego Street, 24-110 Pulawy, Poland
Wen Xing: SINTEF, Materials and Chemistry, Forskningsveien 1, NO-0314 Oslo, Norway

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 3, 1-16

Abstract: This work presents an advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of a 5 kW molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) stack intended to provide a broad analysis and deliver improved design through optimizing flow distribution. The goal is to provide a variant analysis of flow distribution in the internal channels through the CFD model. SolidWorks was used to design the MCFC stack, and SOLIDWORKS ® Flow Simulation was utilized to model the flow distribution inside the stack. The simulated stack was validated through an experimental investigation of a 5 kW MCFC stack, empirically measuring pressure and flow distribution in an experimental laboratory station optimized for multi-scale fuel cell stack testing. The test was designed to examine a variety of internal flow distribution factors. The verified CFD model was employed for sensitivity analysis on various scales. To enhance the design, the influence of stack and single-cell constructional characteristics on the 5 kW MCFC was investigated.

Keywords: fuel cells; molten carbonate fuel cells; computational fluid mechanics; architecture; mathematical modeling (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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